Application-specific instruction set processors are the core of
nowadays embedded systems. Therefore, the designers need to have
powerful tools for the processor design. The tools should be generated
automatically based on a processor description. One of the most
important tools is the simulator. It is used during a testing phase of
the processor design and during target software development. The key
feature of the simulator is its speed. The concept of a special
simulation type - translated simulation - is presented in this paper.
This simulation exploits information from a target C compiler. Both the
simulator and the C compiler are generated based on the processor
description in an architecture description language ISAC. Experimental
results of this concept show very good simulation speed and fast
generation of the simulator.